Omen: 8, 13

“How are you all feeling?” Adam asked, looking to Rick and the farmers. Three of them were wielding long pikes, which would be used to strike from behind the others. Ivy and John both were holding their bows, sitting down at the wall, waiting for the creatures to appear.

“We are well, Adam,” Rick said. “Thank you.”

Adam nodded. He was adorned in his own puthral plate, wearing his nightval bear leather to keep him cool. “Nobby? Brittany?”

“Good,” Nobby said.

Brittany nodded her head, holding her deadwood bow tight. “Fine.”

“You two will be fine.” Adam smiled. “I’ll rain death from the heavens and you can deal with the remaining few.”

With over twenty of them, it certainly felt cozy within the outpost, and Adam was glad he had made it bigger than they needed. They each stuck to their own groups, with the archers, the porters, and Nobby ready to provide cover from the walls with their ranged weapons. The others were also on the walls, but they were also ready to approach the gate, which would be open for the creatures as they approached to walk into their death.

They still needed to spot the creatures to know which gate to open, but they assumed it would come from the direction where the Hakorians had appeared.

Fred stared out to the landscape, taking in the sight. ‘This could be my last day.’ He inhaled deeply, and let out a soft sigh. ‘It’s not a bad day to die.’

“Fred,” Vonda called.

“Sir Vonda?” Fred replied, awkwardly.

“Thank you for taking care of Nobby and Brittany,” she said.

“Of course.” Fred’s lips twitched as he tried to smile.

Vonda had asked Adam to place Fred in charge of taking care of the pair, and the Half Elf had agreed almost immediately. She hoped that it would help the young man, and that he would step up to the task.

“Beautiful day, ain’t it?” Remy asked.

“Aye, it is,” Jeremy said. “Lovely javelins, aren’t they?”

“Aye,” Remy said, looking down at the pile of javelins beside him. “That they are.”

Adam looked out to the other outpost, which had been informed the previous evening. They were all ready to fight, Oliver having whipped them into immediacy. Adam wondered if there had been some push back by the Iron Rank parties.

‘I hope they’ll be okay,’ Adam thought. ‘If they die now, it’ll be harder for us later.’ He wondered how they’d split the loot if an entire party died.

A whistle was blown by the other outpost, and a wave of excitement filled the air. Adam’s heart pounded as his eyes scanned the horizon, before they saw the creatures in the distance. They had certainly appeared from where they assumed, tiny specks in the distance.

Adam’s heart pounded and he tapped his breastplate, causing the others to glance in his direction. “Sorry,” he said, flashing a smile towards them. “The wait’s killing me.”

“It’s always the worst,” Lady Shamia said. “The waiting.”

“I can’t say I agree,” Jaygak said. “The worst is when their claws are at your throat.”

“Jaygak?” Jurot asked.

“Don’t compare me to you, Jurot,” Jaygak said, smiling. “I might be an Iyrman, but I’m sane. I can’t die before I find a nice guy with beautiful horns.”

“Don’t say that,” Adam said.

“What?” Jaygak asked.

“Sir Vonda, stay with Jaygak,” Adam said. “She raised her death flag.”

‘Death flag?’ It was a shared thought between them all.

Rick wondered how they could all joke like this, when the creatures were approaching. His hands were sweaty, and beside him, Charley tapped her legs, trying to keep them awake. Ivy pulled her bow close to her chest, and she muttered a prayer.

‘Fuck,’ Adam thought, shaking his head. For a moment, he thought about Lanarot. His face twitched, and he tried to keep the negative thoughts out of his head. ‘There’s twenty of us. Yeah, they might be an issue for Experts, but there’s plenty of Experts here. With enough Fireballs, even Experts would fall.’

“You know,” Adam said, feeling his throat dry up. “I’m thinking about the kurabaras. How strong are these guys in comparison?”

“Much weaker,” Jurot assured.

“Really?”

“Yes.”

“Oh.” Adam inhaled deeply. The kurabaras numbered roughly a quarter of the creatures ahead of them, but this time they were in their own fort, and the kurabaras were tough.

“Adam,” Jurot called.

“Yeah?” the Half Elf replied.

“You are strong.”

Adam smiled. “Damn straight.”

“Many will fall under a single Fireball,” Jurot assured. “We will clean up the rest.” He could tell Adam was shaken, but he was completely reassured. “We are stronger.”

“There are a hundred of them,” Adam said.

“Some will split to the other fort.”

Lucy grunted with displeasure at the thought. “I’ll kill at least ten.”

“I will kill another ten,” Jurot assured.

“We should speak moderately,” Kitool said.

“Let’s aim for two,” Jaygak said.

“Not that moderately,” Kitool replied.

“Will the children in the Iyr like the birdcat’s fangs?” Lucy asked.

Adam blinked. How had it been Lucy asking that question and not him?

“Yes,” Jurot replied.

“Then I’ll kill twenty.”

“I will kill twenty too.”

“I’ll kill twenty three then,” Lucy added.

“I think he meant twenty as well,” Adam said.

“Yes,” Jurot confirmed.

“Oh,” Lucy replied, feeling her cheeks flush.

“It is rude to kill too many.”

“Right.”

“Dunes, you got a prayer for us?” Adam asked.

“Magic?”

“No, just a prayer. Though, I suppose you could cast Aid now.” Adam nodded to Sir Vonda.

Dunes thought for a moment. “With sword in hand, our enemies will crumble, it is assured. Lady Arya will hear our songs of battle, and she will answer the call. Pray not for your companions beside you, but for the glory your family will share when you return.”

Then he began chanting for Aid, filling himself, Jaygak, and Lucy with his magic. Sir Vonda did the same, but for herself, Jurot, and Lucy. It increased their Health by a small amount for several hours.

Adam had refused the spell even though he had made sure the Priests had it cast upon them since they knew Revivify.

“Nice,” Adam whispered. He saw the creatures in greater detail as they charged towards the outpost. They were like panthers, though with light grey fur, and their tails seemed to be spiked. ‘Why the hell are they called birdcats?’

Rick and the others let out a sigh, and stretched out their muscles, far more eager after the prayer. ‘I’ll spend a gold on the library when I go back.’

“Iyrman,” one of the Aldish called. He was referred to as Twobones, and Adam assumed it was because he wielded a pair of blades, each of them made of bone. “Ten gold to see who kills more?”

“Ten gold,” Jurot confirmed.

“What of one of you?” the other Aldishman, Ironblade called. He was tall and wide, and carried with him a greatsword, though it seemed to be made of something darker than iron.

“Sure,” Jaygak said. “Ten gold. I’m not as strong as Jurot, but I’m confident in my sword.”

“Mighty fine sword that is,” Ironblade said. “Want to bet it?”

“Even if I was confident, I can’t,” Jaygak said. “It was a gift from a friend.”

“A friend gifted you the sword?” Ironblade asked.

“A very good friend of mine,” Jaygak confirmed. “It will bring me much glory.”

“What a shame.” Ironblade chuckled.

Adam smiled from behind his helmet. Then he quickly frowned. ‘God damn it, Jaygak.’ “Sir Vonda, please.”

Sir Vonda looked up at Adam, but bowed her head. She assumed it had something to do with flags of Lord Sozain. ‘What does that even mean?’

“Jonn?” Adam asked, watching as the creatures grew larger, not minutes away. “Don’t you have a spell called Aid?”

“Yes,” Jonn said.

“Do you have it prepared?”

“Yes.”

“Please cast it on Brittany, Nobby, and Lady Shamia,” Adam said.

Jonn turned to Lady Shamia.

“Why us? It would be better cast upon those in greater danger.” Lady Shamia and the two would remain away from the fight.

“Just in case,” Adam said. “It will keep my heart calm. Please.”

“Very well,” Lady Shamia said, giving in to Adam’s request. She wasn’t a fan of others casting a spell on her, but Jonn was a member of Jurot’s party, so she trusted him that much.

Jonn chanted, calling forth his magic, casting the Aid spell upon the trio.

Adam swallowed, looking up at Hades, and then back to Zeus. Zeus was to engage to block them off if they overran the fort, and his task was to make sure the two youngsters were safe.

That’s when Adam realised something, something he should have realised long ago. “Jonn?”

“Yes?”

“Don’t you have Find Steed too?”

Jonn remained silent. ‘Oh,’ the Guardian thought.

“Archers!” John, the archer, called out, finally. The creatures were so close to firing range, and he had been given the task of commanding the archers.

‘Oh,’ Adam thought, seeing the creature’s tails, which were feathery. ‘So that’s why.’

“Nock!” John shouted.